Thousands of New Zealanders took to the streets on Thursday in a nationwide protest ahead of the new government’s first budget. Te Pāti Māori (the Māori Party) alongside the Toitū Te Tiriti (Honour the Treaty) called for the protests to demonstrate a unified response to “the Government’s assault” on Māori and New Zealand’s founding document, Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Police Assistant Commissioner Mike Johnson said officers were monitoring multiple gatherings across the country. “While there has been disruption to travel in some locations, the participants have been well-behaved overall and there h…